A LUM NI PRO FILE
THE PEOPLE’S COURT His childhood in Nigeria inspires Judge Edirin Okoloko ’03 to lead with respect and civility in Snohomish County BY C LAUDI NE B ENMAR
When Judge Edirin Okoloko ’03 was a boy growing up in Nigeria, he dreamed of becoming a scientist like his father, a professor of molecular biology. But history intervened. As a teenager, he watched the news in horror as the Nigerian military overthrew the government and installed a brutal dictatorship. He found hope for his country in lawyers, including the internationally lauded Gani Fawehinmi, who fought to hold the military accountable for its human rights abuses. “That changed my mindset,” Okoloko said. “It turned me toward a passion for the law. I studied the cases and the lawyers.” His appreciation of the importance of law was matched by a curiosity about the world, and he applied for the U.S. Diversity Visa lottery while a law student at University of Benin, in Nigeria. To his great surprise, he won the lottery. He secured a visa and immigrated to Seattle in 1999 after graduation, following a childhood friend who had immigrated the year prior. Supporting himself with a full-time job selling men’s clothing, Okoloko enrolled in the law school’s evening program to earn a JD, choosing a second law degree in order to learn more about the U.S. legal system. Given his life experiences, Okoloko naturally considered a career in international human rights law. “But sometimes life takes you in a different direction,” he said. Instead, he began his career in 2004 in Snohomish County as a law clerk for Judge Michael Downes ’82 (ret.). It was there that he discovered a meaningful way to honor the values that first sparked his interest in law, by maintaining a steadfast commitment to the constitution and rule of law. Okoloko’s dedication to fairness was evident early in his legal career, said
Downes. “He works so well with people because he’s thoughtful and respectful of everybody. I’m sure I learned as much from him as he did from me.” After his one-year clerkship, Okoloko was recruited to the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where he served for 13 years. Gov. Jay Inslee appointed him to the Snohomish County Superior Court bench in 2018. Okoloko believes that a judicial philosophy based on civility and respect builds faith in the legal system and helps people feel heard and comfortable in the courtroom. Similarly, he’s active in the court’s efforts to provide materials and services in languages other than English to make the legal system more inclusive.
“The Nigerian military ruled by decree, so the courts were ineffective. People were powerless,” said Okoloko. “With what I’m doing now, I’m giving people the protections afforded to them by the constitution that I found lacking when I was growing up. That’s what drives my quest for people to be treated fairly, with respect and with dignity.” Okoloko has engendered such respect among his peers that Inslee appointed him to the bench for a second time in January 2020, after he narrowly lost a 2019 election to retain his seat. “Everyone who comes before the court deserves to be heard by a neutral, objective fact finder,” he said. “That’s what I strive to do every day. That’s what my oath requires.”
Fall 2021 LAWYER MAGAZINE
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